At 04:03 PM 4/29/96 -0700, you wrote:
> Hi All, Is there a method to approximate the number of feral colonys
>that we have in any area?  I gave a talk to a school today about bees.
>About 150 children were present.The children noticed that there were few
>bees around this year. So I took a drive around and scouted apple trees
>and dandilion blooms. I saw 1 honey bee in two hours.40 t0 50 apple
>trees. The sun was shinning also. I think feral colonys are history in my
>area.This seems worse to me than I first thought that we would loose some
>honey bees and would have some wild one left to pollenate the wild berrys
>and nut for the birds to live on.
> I would like to know if there are any ongoin studys going on about the
>wild bees? We may see some major changes in wildlife because of the loss
>of the feral colonys. I'm in Washington state USA and I wonder if othere
>areas have the same problem. Thank You
> Beast Reagards
>  Roy
>
>
Roy:
 
I was talking to the wife of the owner of the bee supply house in
Sacramento. Ca.  She said that U.C. Davis said that California  has
lost about 80% of its feral bees.  I got the e-mail address of the U.C.
Davis Apiculturist.  He might be able to answer some of your questions.
 
         Eric Mussen <[log in to unmask]>
 
Hope this helps.
 
Jeffrey R Tooker
33600 Navion
Paynes Creek Ca. 96075